What are the top 5 things that pollute the ocean?

Summary. The top six ocean pollutants are plastic, nutrients from fertilizer runoff, nonpoint sources, light, noise, and industrial chemicals . Plastic tops the list, with the most common items found in the ocean including bags, bottles, food containers and cutlery, wrappers, synthetic rope, and fishing items.

How to solve the plastic problem?

10 Ways to Reduce Plastic Pollution Wean yourself off single-use plastics. ... Stop buying bottled water. ... Boycott microbeads. ... Cook more. ... Purchase items secondhand. ... Recycle. ... Support a bag tax or ban. ... Buy in bulk and look for eco-friendly packaging. More items... Jul 3, 2024

Where does much of the pollution in our oceans come from _____?

Most ocean pollution begins on land. When large tracts of land are plowed, the exposed soil can erode during rainstorms. Much of this runoff flows to the sea, carrying with it agricultural fertilizers and pesticides. Eighty percent of pollution to the marine environment comes from the land .

What is the number 1 polluter in the ocean?

Plastic pollution is real. A staggering 269,000 tons of plastic ends up in our oceans every year, meaning that there will soon be more plastic than fish in our oceans if we do not change our ways. It is our mission to help fight the battle against single-use plastic bottles and waste.

What is most harmful to the ocean?

Plastic debris An estimated eight million metric tonnes of plastic end up in our oceans each year. Our discarded bottles, plastic bags, and packaging are choking and entangling animals, or breaking up into tiny pieces that can be swallowed, releasing toxic chemicals along the way.

How much garbage is in the ocean?

There are 5.25 trillion pieces of plastic waste estimated to be in our oceans. 269,000 tons float, 4 billion microfibers per km² dwell below the surface. 70% of our debris sinks into the ocean's ecosystem, 15% floats, and 15% lands on our beaches. In terms of plastic, 8.3 million tons are discarded in the sea yearly.

Who dumps plastic in the ocean?

In addition to the Philippines, over 75% of the accumulated plastic in the ocean is reported to come from the mismanaged waste in Asian countries including India, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Thailand .

Which country puts the most plastic in the ocean?

The Philippines alone accounts for 36.4% percent of the world's plastic ocean trash and India makes up 12.9%. In fact, less than 1000 rivers, that are mostly in Asia, are the source of over 80% of plastic in the oceans. The United States contributes just 0.2% of the plastic trash in the oceans.

Who invented plastic?

In 1907 Leo Baekeland invented Bakelite, the first fully synthetic plastic, meaning it contained no molecules found in nature. Baekeland had been searching for a synthetic substitute for shellac, a natural electrical insulator, to meet the needs of the rapidly electrifying United States.

What are the top 10 plastics in the ocean?

Top 10 plastic items found in beaches 14% Single-use bottles; 12% Food wrappers; 9% Cigarette butts; 6% Take-away food containers; 5% Cotton swabs; 4% Disposable cups; 3% Sanitary products; 2% Tobacco packaging; 1% Disposable straws and cutlery; 1% Plastic bags.

What 5 countries pollute the ocean the most?

In addition to the Philippines, over 75% of the accumulated plastic in the ocean is reported to come from the mismanaged waste in Asian countries including India, Malaysia, China, Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Thailand .

KH POLLUTING THE OCEAN !!! (2024)

By: winblwn
11/2/2012 6:49 PM

Well it looks like Kitty Hawk is polluting the Ocean again!!
every time we have a nor-Easter or the "H" word -Sandy in this case KH pumps polluted septic tank water into the ocean they are still pumping it nowI am so glad no one is swimming in it!! But people are still fishing there...I hate to think how high the bacteria level is ??
It is such a shame that they won't do a beach refurbishment like Nags Head or have anything planned in the futureNags Head beach looks great after the storms we have had !!! One more thing the road is gone again at MP4 because there are no homes on the beach in front of it the homes in my opinion- seem to protect the road …

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By: Tim-OBX
11/2/2012 6:56 PM

Bruce, why do you think the water in the back yards are polluted with septic water? I have not seen any damaged septic tanks but i see a lot of standing water. There is no reason to believe the ocean is getting anymore septic water than they get everyday from oceanfront homes with 12 bedrooms and septic systems 50-100 feet from the beach. A septic tank with 800 or 1000 gal of water is just sitting there untouched. The tops are not off the tanks and the systems lines are not exposed.

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By: mleebob
11/2/2012 7:04 PM

+1 to TIM

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By: hoi toide
11/2/2012 7:21 PM

One more thing the road is gone again at MP4 because there are no homes on the beach in front of it the homes in my opinion- seem to protect the road …

there are "no homes" b/c they've either fallen in during a storm or were moved, like The Black Pelican or "Station Six" as it was known. I don't watch The Weather Channel much these days but they most likely still run the video of a house crashing into the ocean from that section of KH OFront. Think it was The Halloween Storm when it fell in. It is a "hotspot." Just like Mirlo Beach at Rodanthe.

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By: RobertGeeJr1
11/2/2012 7:41 PM

now if I remember right, (now I have had a stroke) but I am from Charlotte,one clip was from a bad storm thanksgiving weekend in 94. I was in tampa on business and had to drive back to charlotte sunday, and first it was a tropical depression then storm, and it went over tampa and I had to drive in it all the way up interstate 95. it was not fun. and it was on sea gull lane, in south nags head. it was sad because at one time that was some of the most expensive land in NC. but that storm was a warning to the bad hurricane season the next year.

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By: obx_shooter
11/2/2012 9:32 PM

Well it looks like Kitty Hawk is polluting the Ocean again!!
every time we have a nor-Easter or the "H" word -Sandy in this case KH pumps polluted septic tank water into the ocean they are still pumping it nowI am so glad no one is swimming in it!! But people are still fishing there...I hate to think how high the bacteria level is ??
It is such a shame that they won't do a beach refurbishment like Nags Head or have anything planned in the futureNags Head beach looks great after the storms we have had !!! One more thing the road is gone again at MP4 because there are no homes on the beach in front of it the homes in my opinion- seem to protect the road …

If we would just put houses on all those non build able lots in Kitty Hawk then our hurricane problems with the beach road would be solved. Why didn't we think of that!! Oh, lets let that water stand for a few weeks instead of pumping it out and see how that is for everyones general health

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By: winblwn
11/2/2012 10:43 PM

IF KITTY HAWK DID A BEACH REFURBISHING -YOU WOULDN'T NEED TO PUMP ANY WATER !!!!

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By: winblwn
11/2/2012 10:50 PM

all i was saying is - the homes that are oceanfront now=
-there has never been any road missing -they help protect the road -except one time when the main water line broke in the road......where the oceanfront homes that are missing at MP4 this is where the road always needs replacing and it has happen two times this i know of....what i am saying is the oceanfront homes in KH protect the road -it must be the pilings holding back the sand ??

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By: winblwn
11/2/2012 10:58 PM

its Butch Tim -not Bruce LOL i have been called worst ..

every since i have owned homes in KH they have always told me to stay out of the water because of pollution from septic tanks oil-anything that is loose gets in the waterthe drain-fields hooked to the septic tanks them self will not work when water is above it so if people are in the homes and flush the toilet the water is forced and mixed with the water on top -because of the sandy soil it has to go somewhere and the soil is saturated -so it mixes with it -the longer the water sets on top of the drain fields the more it gets in it..

Bruce, why do you think the water in the back yards are polluted with septic water? I have not seen any damaged septic tanks but i see a lot of standing water. There is no reason to believe the ocean is getting anymore septic water than they get everyday from oceanfront homes with 12 bedrooms and septic systems 50-100 feet from the beach. A septic tank with 800 or 1000 gal of water is just sitting there untouched. The tops are not off the tanks and the systems lines are not exposed.

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By: RobertGeeJr1
11/2/2012 11:02 PM

well guess what, in the ol days, before the land boom, people who lived there had the sense to build on narrow but very long lots. if the ocean got close the rolled them back.
beach nourishment has a history of failure on the outer-banks, its very expensive, and the beach profile is steep so it takes lots of sand to repair a beach.
do you have any idea how many times the national park pumped sand in front of the Cape Hatteras lighthouse? More than once, and that's where the big hole at the end of Hatteras came from.
Norfolk has spent a butt load of money 2010 wasn't it and in one year is was half gone. when you have to borrow money with the promise to raise taxes to pay for it over the years and when its gone you still have the bill.

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By: winblwn
11/2/2012 11:05 PM

it also does this -the ground is saturated with water the drain-fields that normally drain water out of them -now take in water and it fills the septic tank up to the top the top of some septic tanks are only 1 ft. or so from the top it will have enough pressure to lift the top- if someone flushes a toilet on the second floori have seen this also -PS I use to be a Master Plumber ...

its Butch Tim -not Bruce LOL i have been called worst ..
every since i have owned homes in KH they have always told me to stay out of the water because of pollution from septic tanks oil-anything that is loose gets in the waterthe drain-fields hooked to the septic tanks them self will not work when water is above it so if people are in the homes and flush the toilet the water is forced and mixed with the water on top -because of the sandy soil it has to go somewhere and the soil is saturated -so it mixes with it -the longer the water sets on top of the drain fields the more it gets in it..
Bruce, why do you think the water in the back yards are polluted with septic water? I have not seen any damaged septic tanks but i see a lot of standing water. There is no reason to believe the ocean is getting anymore septic water than they get everyday from oceanfront homes with 12 bedrooms and septic systems 50-100 feet from the beach. A septic tank with 800 or 1000 gal of water is just sitting there untouched. The tops are not off the tanks and the systems lines are not exposed.

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By: winblwn
11/2/2012 11:14 PM

well guess what, in the ol days, before the land boom, people who lived there had the sense to build on narrow but very long lots. if the ocean got close the rolled them back.
beach nourishment has a history of failure on the outer-banks, its very expensive, and the beach profile is steep so it takes lots of sand to repair a beach.
do you have any idea how many times the national park pumped sand in front of the Cape Hatteras lighthouse? More than once, and that's where the big hole at the end of Hatteras came from.
Beach nourishment has never been done on the outer banks until Nags Head Last year!!! Where have you been?? they always brought in sand never pumped it from the sea have you been to nags head after SANDYITS STILL THERE !!!! IT PROTECTED THE HOMES AND THE STEPS !!
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUMP WATER FROM AROUND THE HOMES LIKE YOU DO IN KITTY HAWK AFTER EVERY LITTLE STORM OR H
Norfolk has spent a butt load of money 2010 wasn't it and in one year is was half gone. when you have to borrow money with the promise to raise taxes to pay for it over the years and when its gone you still have the bill.

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By: winblwn
11/2/2012 11:18 PM

well guess what, in the ol days, before the land boom, people who lived there had the sense to build on narrow but very long lots. if the ocean got close the rolled them back.
beach nourishment has a history of failure on the outer-banks, its very expensive, and the beach profile is steep so it takes lots of sand to repair a beach.
do you have any idea how many times the national park pumped sand in front of the Cape Hatteras lighthouse? More than once, and that's where the big hole at the end of Hatteras came from.
Beach nourishment has never been done on the outer banks until Nags Head Last year!!! Where have you been?? they always brought in sand never pumped it from the sea have you been to nags head after SANDYITS STILL THERE !!!! IT PROTECTED THE HOMES AND THE STEPS !!
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUMP WATER FROM AROUND THE HOMES LIKE YOU DO IN KITTY HAWK AFTER EVERY LITTLE STORM OR H
Norfolk has spent a butt load of money 2010 wasn't it and in one year is was half gone. when you have to borrow money with the promise to raise taxes to pay for it over the years and when its gone you still have the bill.

WELL ITS BEEN HERE FOR A YEAR NOW GO TO NAGS HEAD AND LOOK AT THE BEACH NOW !!!! THEN GO TO KITTY HAWK AND LOOK WHAT BEACH IS LEFT AND THE DAMAGE TO THE HOMES !!!!

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By: winblwn
11/2/2012 11:20 PM

well guess what, in the ol days, before the land boom, people who lived there had the sense to build on narrow but very long lots. if the ocean got close the rolled them back.
beach nourishment has a history of failure on the outer-banks, its very expensive, and the beach profile is steep so it takes lots of sand to repair a beach.
do you have any idea how many times the national park pumped sand in front of the Cape Hatteras lighthouse? More than once, and that's where the big hole at the end of Hatteras came from.
Beach nourishment has never been done on the outer banks until Nags Head Last year!!! Where have you been?? they always brought in sand never pumped it from the sea have you been to nags head after SANDYITS STILL THERE !!!! IT PROTECTED THE HOMES AND THE STEPS !!
AND YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUMP WATER FROM AROUND THE HOMES LIKE YOU DO IN KITTY HAWK AFTER EVERY LITTLE STORM OR H
Norfolk has spent a butt load of money 2010 wasn't it and in one year is was half gone. when you have to borrow money with the promise to raise taxes to pay for it over the years and when its gone you still have the bill.

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By: RobertGeeJr1
11/2/2012 11:21 PM

YOU DON'T HAVE TO YELL. well lets see how much sand is there in 5 years, and the bills will still be coming.
Hey better yet, if you have the money, go hire a dredge and find the sand and go to town.
you can't fight mother nature.

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By: winblwn
11/2/2012 11:22 PM

YOU DON'T HAVE TO YELL. well lets see how much sand is there in 5 years, and the bills will still be coming.
Hey better yet, if you have the money, go hire a dredge and find the sand and go to town.
you can't fight mother nature.

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By: Jason
11/2/2012 11:24 PM

!!!!!!!!!! Just thought I'd add some more.

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By: winblwn
11/2/2012 11:41 PM

YOU DON'T HAVE TO YELL. well lets see how much sand is there in 5 years, and the bills will still be coming.
Hey better yet, if you have the money, go hire a dredge and find the sand and go to town.
you can't fight mother nature.

sorry for yelling have you looked at the beach in Nags Head it has been a year now there were so many negative people - that said it would not be there a year are you one of them?? will you emit you were wrong after a year or has it now changed to 5 years ?? You knowif it only last 5 years -nags head will benefit from it -all the things they now have on the beach that you could never have had a year ago... fishermen are now driving on the beach again in Nags Head..and more people come to Nags Head beaches even locals so these people soon will spend more money in Nags Head than any other county in Dare the money is well spent!!!

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By: virtual
11/3/2012 12:28 AM

While the purist in me agrees with the basic sentiment of the OP (that compromised septic tanks will pollute the surrounding environment), I have to disagree with the overall premise of the post. It's one of those forest versus trees issues, and as far as pollution of the planet is concerned this isn't the real problem!

Individuals have invested a whole lot of their life savings in those properties and aren't able to just give that up. Some people invested back from when the properties were far enough back from the ocean not to be considered a problem. Other people who just didn't know better and wanted the dream of owning an oceanfront property on the OBX, so they bought a place that wasn't in danger when it was built but is now.

It's certainly true that flooded septic tanks isn't what we want, but having invested in these properties people who owe lots of money on the properties can't afford to just let them go. The whole idea that a row of houses can keep back the ocean from the road is ludicrous. The topography of the OBX is that much of the land is only a few feet above sea level, so keeping road safe from overwash is more about how high the roads are, rather than how far they are from the ocean. But then again, a washed out road isn't going to significantly pollute the environment, but human sewage can. There ARE regulations about building houses (and hence sewage tanks) in places that are likely to flood, but those regulations are as much to protect the mandatory insurance needs as to protect the owners of the property. So in that sense this post is as much about the status quo of the current system as anything else. Regulations are in place to build a house far enough back from the ocean, but over time the regulations aren't there to force you to have to move the house. Like with everything else, there are pluses and minuses of these choices. In this instance we saw the minuses.

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By: RobertGeeJr1
11/3/2012 8:23 AM

And I don't mean to yell also, but if you will note in my profile, I have been going to the banks since 1970.
While right now I might be stuck up here, I look at the banks every week. No one will ever know the pain I feel for the people who are hurting right now. but the basic facts are this, the sea levels are rising they have been rising for quite some time, and the way the banks respond to this and to storms is the free movement of sand. the best way to save and love a beach is to let nature take its course and move back.
I'm not one of these eco nuts who say you can't do anythings or people should not live on the Outer-Banks because you can, but there are huge risks building houses on the ocean front.

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By: wackydog
11/3/2012 9:20 AM

I don't recall Kitty Hawk ever asking Nags Head for advice on their situation. Did I miss that meeting?

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By: Beachmark
11/3/2012 9:54 AM

For what little it is worth.....I know that peole want answers NOW (not yelling), and that gives sense of relief/comfort to think things are fixed/settled. But I suggest that everyone keep observing the Nags Haed baech nourishment to see how it progresses. The claims of it being 'already half-gone' from this spring were proven to be quite faulty. It's frustrating to not yet know how it is really going to work over the long term, but there is only one way to really know!

Let's keep in mind that we have had Irene and then Sandy 2 years in a row; there are eras of frequent storms and eras of calm, and we don't know which is coming over the next few year. All of the beach erosion issues are HIGHLY (not yelling) dependent on this factor, perhaps moreso than anything else.

And while I agree with the sense of beaches being open and free and natural, there are places for that and then there are places where protection of property is a reasonable social/community goal, IMO. KH is now very much one of those places. If the ocean side land in KH really breaches and is let to go wild and free, there will be a prety huge area of property lost. Just look at what flooded this time, increase it a bit and you will know what will be lost.

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By: hoi toide
11/3/2012 1:08 PM